Tractor unit



G. S. GROVES.

TRACTOR UNIT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15. 1919.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

GEGRGE S. GRDVES, CF MOUNT IDA, VIRGINIA.

TRACTOR- UNIT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

Application filed February 15, 1919. Serial No. 277,261.

2:: it may concern. nown that l, Grieves, i f the United states residing at in the county of Alexandria 2121f ginia invented tain new and useial lmprovementsin Tractor Units; u r do hereby declare the following to be a clear and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to tractor engines or like vehicles and pertains especially to a unit gear adapted to be attached to an autoniobile or gas engine or otherwise suitably driven motor vehicles.

It is the object of the present invention to provide simple and practicable and substantial unit provided with gear sets all in one organization ant. especially to such a working gear set and it as v. ill be readily attachable to various types of automobiles and gas engine propelled vehicles such as the Ford type of self-propelled vehicles. A further object of the present inventiou is to provide an organization gear unit for readily converting a motor pro into a traction vehicle attachable for hauhng heavy loads and especially useful for plowing and other agricultural purposes. A further object of the invention is to provide a converting unit which may be attached to the usual wheels of the self-propelled vehicle ithout requiring the dismantling or mechanical change thereof and which, at the same time, is designed to elevate the usual driven wheels of the vehicle to a plane out of contact vith the roadway or other surface pelled vehicle of the pleasure or truck tvpe and to provide a pair of traction wheels which are ad ustable upon the motor vehicle so as to be coaxially arranged with the usual driving wheels.

With these and other objects in view will be rendered manifest to those versed in the art the invention consists of the construction, the combination, and in details and arrangements of the parts as more particularly disclosed in the following specification with the relation to the embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of the rear portion of the chassis of a self-propelled vehicle as of the Ford type and to which the unit for converting it into a tractor is shown attached. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the unit shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a slightly modified form of the transmitting mechanism between the usual wheels of the vehicle and the attached tractor wheels. Fig. l is a side elevation showing a slightly modified form of the invention '11 which there is provided an endless traveling traction platform orbelt.

Iii-the embodiment of the invention illust ated in Figs. 1 and 2, a portion of the une of a motor vehicle is indicated at 2 and carries or is mounted upon a transverse axle 3 in which is mounted a differential gear the driven shafts in the axle 3 being provided with the usual pneumatic or otherwise tired wheels 55.

The present invention resides in the connection to the vehicle frame and the wheels of a unit organization comprising essentially a transversely disposed rigid bar or axle 6 hav ng forwardly extending arms or elements 7'l' attachable by any suitable means to the axle 3 and which transverse and rearwardly disposed axle or bar 6 is also provided with forwardly extending arms 8 designed to be rigidly and suitably secured to the vehicle frame 2. The central portion of the transverse bar or axle 6 is provided with a coupling device at 9 to which there may be attached any suitable vehicle or implement to be drawn by the converted trac tor. To give the desired ri 'idity to the cen tral portion of the rear axle or bar 6 a suitable bracing means as the diagonal braces 101O may be extended forwardly and connected to the frame in the manner indicated.

For the purpose of utilizing a maximum tractive effort of the vehicle engine suitable reduction gears are mounted upon the unit and are shown in Figs. 1 and 2 as comprising sprocket wheels 1111, loosely mounted on trunnions on the ends of the axle or bar 6, the sprockets 11 having sprocket chains 12 which extend forwardly and engage with pinions 13 fastened on spindles 14 extending outwardly from respective side of plates or clamping means 15 here shewn as in the form of plates through which are passed bolts 16 engaging a parallel clamping means as for instance a disk or spoke plate 17 arranged against the inside of the wheel 5 and upon the spokes 18 thereof. It will be seen therefore that when the motor vehicle wheels 5 are driven the clamping means 1516 serve to rotate the sprocket wheel 13. Mounted on the spindle 14 extending outwardly from each Wheel there is shown a suitable type of traction Wheel 20 on the inside face of which there is secured or formed a sprocket wheel 21 from which runs rearwardly a sprocket chain 22 engaging a pinion 23 which is fixed to the master sprocket 11 so that rotation of the vehicle wheels 5 drives the pinion l3 and thereby the master sprocket 11 and from them by means of pinions 23 the lar e sprocket wheels 21 are secured to their respective traction wheels 20. From this it will be seen that I have provided an ear tremely simple, inexpensive, practicable and substantial organized unit, readily attachable to any desired type or form of motor-driven vehicles such for instance as Fords.

In Fig. 3 there is shown a slightly modified form of the transmitting mechanism comprising a pinion 18 secured by the as tening clamp or member to the wheel 5, this pinion engaging a complementary gear 11 to which is secured a pinion 215 engaging a large gear 21 fast on the traction wheel 20.

A further modified form of the traction elements is illustrated in Fig. a in which the traction wheel is provided with a toothed perimeter over which runs an endless traction belt 25 which extends rearwardly to and around an idler 26 mounted on a shaft or journal 27 carried in a suitable frame 28 of the unit structure. In this modification the driving mechanism is essentially th same as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

V lVhat I claim is 1. A unit organization for converting automobiles into tractors, comprising a draft bar or rod with journals on its ends; traction means including main wheels attachable co-axially to the drive wheels of the vehicle; and reduction gear mechanisni connecting the traction means and the drive wheels and including interi nediate gears on the journals, the unit having connecting means between the rod and the chassis gear, aid traction means including rear idler wheels and endless belts running between respective idlers and the said main wheels.

2. In a device of the type described the combination with an automobile of a tractor unit for attachment thereto comprising wheels attachable to the drive wheels of the automobile, reduction gearing connecting the wheels of the tractor unit and said drive wheels, a rearwardly extending frame secured to the frame and rear construction of the automobile, idler wheels mounted on said frame, and endless traction belts running between the wheels of said tractor unit and said idler wheels. 7

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

GEORGE S. GROVES. 

